September: Day 26: Teaching 3:
The Repose of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian
How Should We Regard the Sins of Our Neighbors?
(On the Day of the Repose of Saint John the Theologian)
By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko
The Repose of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian
How Should We Regard the Sins of Our Neighbors?
(On the Day of the Repose of Saint John the Theologian)
By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko
I. On the day of the repose of the holy and glorious Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, who taught above all about Christian love and who, even on his deathbed, did not cease teaching this great virtue, without which there is no possibility of salvation, it is most appropriate to speak with you, brethren, about the sin that most often destroys Christian love among people: the sin of contemptuously condemning our neighbors when they fall morally.
II. A. Let us first consider the impression produced upon us by the falls of our brethren, and then see what must be done for their restoration.
Before you is worldly society, composed not of those uneducated, coarse, and deprived from childhood of every moral influence, who are encountered by the thousands in the streets. Here are people who have all received a good upbringing, who are capable of understanding and admiring everything beautiful, and who are sometimes capable of the most generous impulses... Suddenly, news is brought into this select circle... It is a piece of information which, as they say, everyone should keep to himself... What is it about? About some offense, some fall, some disgrace, which soon becomes known... Do you notice the effect it produces? Do you notice the looks gleaming with malicious delight? Do you hear how the conversation, until then languid, suddenly becomes animated, interrupted by violent outbursts, like a flame fanned from without? Do you hear all these questions? Do you observe with what lively interest the smallest details concerning the fall in question are gathered; do you watch the expressions on faces showing that they know more than they wish to say; the treacherous hints concealed beneath false sympathy? Is all this true? Am I exaggerating when I say that the frivolity and misconduct of others are the favorite food of conversation in every class of society, and that, if you remove slander from these conversations, you will remove all their charm, and that nothing seems to enliven conversation so much as malicious gossip? We are told, brethren, that man is good. Yes, I know well that everyone cares about maintaining propriety, and that we Russians least of all need to be reminded of this. But who does not know that there is a learned contest of words in which people acquire remarkable skill? Who does not know that there is a subtle art of gracefully casting a poisoned arrow, an art of wounding mortally with a smile, and of hinting at everything without asserting anything?
What, then, is in our heart, and what dark passions are at work there? What! Can the fall of one of those close to us become for us a cause of secret delight? Do we prefer, then, not to believe in goodness? Do we hope to exalt ourselves by humiliating others? Do we suppose that their fall will reveal and proclaim our superiority? Do we intend to cleanse ourselves by the errors of others, like a man washing himself with filth? Oh, can one rejoice that a soul has sinned? To rejoice in this and call oneself a Christian! To rejoice in this and follow Jesus Christ! Brethren, when we notice in others or in ourselves even a glimpse of this sinister delight, we can only be terrified by what the human heart conceals. Then those terrible words applied to human nature become understandable: according to the Apostle Paul, it is “hateful and hating one another.”
One of our neighbors has fallen! Therefore, if you are truly imbued with the spirit of Christ, allow me to describe the impression that this fall should make upon your soul.
a) He has fallen. But you who condemn him—have you never fallen yourselves? Would it please you if a hostile voice began to recount your blameworthy past? And did you not find comfort in the thought that oblivion had buried it forever?
“You will say that your life was free from serious offenses.” I agree. But are you responsible for this yourself? If you lacked opportunities to fall, did your heart not reach out toward them a thousand times, did it not desire and seek them?
Come, then, if you dare, show us the history of your inner life! Tell us of those secret thoughts of which no one ever suspected, of those shameful desires, hidden passions, unworthy longings, and triumphs of self-love which you cherished and carried out according to deliberate plans, to the detriment of humility and the sorrow of others... No human eye saw any of this. And while this abyss of sin was stirring in your mind and soul, your outward life was always orderly, approved by all, and respected. Now suppose that at one of those moments when passion set your heart aflame and seduced your conscience, a real and living temptation appeared, with all its attractions and enchantments. What would have become of you? Where then would have been your pride in an irreproachable life and an unstained past?
Suppose that this first fall had come under the gaze of someone who, through lack of forbearance, would have condemned and exposed you, just as you condemned your neighbor. What would have become of you? God spared you in His mercy. A thousand circumstances turned you away from your fall; but be assured that, left to your own instincts, you would have perished, and that the ultimate reason for your salvation lies not in yourselves.
b) Your neighbor has fallen! But do you know his history? Do you know what errors surrounded him, what deceptions overwhelmed him, what temptations obscured the light from him and blocked his path? Do you know that, at the fateful hour of his fall, he lacked a brotherly hand that could have supported and saved him, and that this hand could have been yours?
c) Your neighbor has fallen! But did he know what you know? Did he have a past filled with blessings and pure influences that could have protected him? From his cradle, did he experience, as you did, the prayers, tears, and warnings of a Christian mother? Was the gospel revealed to him from the beginning? Did he see on his path the Cross extending to him the hope of salvation? Did he hear the many warnings that you never needed? Therefore, in the eyes of God, who weighs everything on His scales, which of you is more guilty? To whom did He give more talents? From whom will He require more?
This, brethren, is the first impression that the fall of one of our neighbors should produce in us: it should lead to sorrowful self-examination and sincere humility before God.
B. The first impulse gives rise to another: genuine and profound compassion for the one who has suffered this misfortune.
a) As you read the beautiful chapters in which the Gospel tells us of the birth of the Savior, and especially of the wondrous hymn with which the angels filled the plains of Bethlehem, perhaps you have never reflected on how moving it is that the angels, that is, beings who remain pure, are the first to rejoice and bless God for the salvation of fallen humanity. Thus, the closer one is to God and the holier the love with which He is loved, the more capable one becomes of compassion and mercy. And why appeal to the angels, when He whom the angels themselves worship, whom Scripture calls holy and righteous, is presented to us everywhere as infinitely compassionate and merciful toward fallen beings!
b) Man needs another person in order to open his heart. “Confess your faults to one another,” says the Apostle James. What do we make of this commandment? We are told that it is enough to confess to God through the Mystery of Repentance. To be forgiven—yes, without a doubt. But beyond this, you will see that there is hidden within human nature a secret yet urgent need to stand openly before another person. The world sees only the outward and superficial side of our life, the side in which it appears in a favorable light. But there are moments when reality must be revealed, when the essence of this life must be made known, so that at least one person like ourselves may know all that need and temptation conceal within us.
This is urged upon us not by mere openness, but by the profound need to be understood, relieved, and comforted. And do we not know how much is beneficial and salvific in such confessions? Do we not know how certain temptations that surround us, vague and indistinct, lose their power and allure simply by being expressed in words? Do we not know how much strength and consolation can be given by a refined and understanding heart that listens to us? And if anyone needs compassion, it is the one who has fallen. Will he find it in you, brethren? Will he find mercy ready to listen to him so carefully that his confession will be kept in confidence? Will he find that serious attention which no one rejects, and which alone inspires trust? The first temptation often has decisive consequences. The humiliation that follows it can be transformed into correction, or it can degenerate into bitterness and then into rebellion. Perhaps this terrible choice depends upon us ourselves.
c) To open our heart to the fallen means much, but it is still not enough. Our calling, brethren, must be directed toward turning him back.
“If a man falls into sin, correct him,” says the Holy Apostle. What a beautiful and touching expression! It reminds us of Him of whom Scripture says that “He will not break a bruised reed”: the bruised reed is a wounded soul overcome by sin; it must be instructed with care until it is able once again to strive toward heaven.
This is a difficult and exalted work, because it is the work of God. Yes, but it is accomplished by human beings, because it has pleased Him to make us His instruments. If you ask me, “How should it be carried out?” What can I say? Everything depends here upon the character of each person, and each one must be examined and understood. I will say only this: carry out the work of Jesus Christ in the spirit of Jesus Christ; that is, love your neighbors with love without weakness and holiness without pride. Do not flatter, for Jesus Christ flattered no one; show the fallen the narrow and thorny path, speaking to them, if necessary, of the burden of the Cross and the self-denial required by God. All this is not that easy religion that will one day take possession of hearts, nor that base morality with which souls will be satisfied: only those who ask much and are willing to bear much in life will receive much.
Therefore, fallen souls must be turned back, but let us also not forget that they cannot be turned back without personal involvement permeated by Christian love, not by a monetary contribution that would spare us the personal effort and self-denial, the personal love that are required. We would search in vain for general measures of the Church, or for any organization capable of saving humanity all at once. In vain would you cast heaps of gold upon so-called Christian causes. None of this will accomplish anything if each person does not act upon those around him from the position in which Providence has placed him, and illumine each of them with the power of love, which nothing can replace. Labor within the humble sphere in which Providence has placed you; act upon the souls who entrust themselves to you. And if, through lack of faith, the thought of the insignificance of your efforts amid the multitude of humanity discourages you, look at Jesus Christ, who first saved John, then Simon, then Magdalene, Zacchaeus, and many others, that is, people unknown, about whom no one thought until He loved and turned them back, even as He suffered for the whole world and redeemed it from sin, the curse, and eternal death.
To turn a fallen soul back! Do you know what this means? Do not ask the world, which despises this, but listen to the angels in heaven rejoicing over a sinner. Jesus Christ astonishes and delights us in all the works of His ministry and life. Never did He touch the human soul more deeply than when He appeared as the Good Shepherd carrying His lost sheep, weary, exhausted, and unable to find rest until the wandering sheep had been returned to the flock (John 10).
Study His life, if you wish, and tell us, if you dare, that He was not sent by God. I trust my heart, and in this love that bends down toward fallen humanity, I recognize the presence and intervention of God. And where else should He be than here?
Therefore, to accomplish this good work, He calls you in turn. O brethren! Fallen souls are here beside you: they suffer, weep, groan, or, what is even more sorrowful, become hardened and blaspheme. Will you remain insensitive when by your love you can save some of them and bring them with you to the Father's house; when on earth you can share the joy of the angels, awaiting the time when you will enter the eternal dwellings surrounded by all those whom you have helped save! (See Sermons, Bersier.)
III. One more word. Brethren! Have you never asked yourselves with fear whether you have destroyed some soul? Do you know what the inevitable consequences of your former frivolity were? Do you know how many sinners you have pushed onto an evil path? What have you made of those whom God entrusted to your generosity and care? What did you make of them in the days of your unbelief, doubt, and other errors? Alas! What have you made of them since you have been called a Christian?
Do you know what were, on one of those unfortunate days, the consequences of a harsh and contemptuous word, a frivolous judgment, a lustful glance, an example of vanity? Do you know where the wind scattered these seeds of death, and through what fatal influence another soul became answerable for your own error? Do you know that among the multitude of those unfortunate ones whom God will reject on the last day from beholding His face, perhaps more than one may turn to you with the sorrowful cry: “You, you destroyed me!” I do not know this; perhaps you yourselves do not know it. God alone knows everything.
But if your conscience stirs and you hear dissatisfaction with yourselves, the cry coming from the inexorable past, take heed of yourselves: there is still time to act and save our wandering neighbors. The word of God says to you: “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”
(Compiled by Priest G. Dyachenko from the sources indicated.)
What, then, is in our heart, and what dark passions are at work there? What! Can the fall of one of those close to us become for us a cause of secret delight? Do we prefer, then, not to believe in goodness? Do we hope to exalt ourselves by humiliating others? Do we suppose that their fall will reveal and proclaim our superiority? Do we intend to cleanse ourselves by the errors of others, like a man washing himself with filth? Oh, can one rejoice that a soul has sinned? To rejoice in this and call oneself a Christian! To rejoice in this and follow Jesus Christ! Brethren, when we notice in others or in ourselves even a glimpse of this sinister delight, we can only be terrified by what the human heart conceals. Then those terrible words applied to human nature become understandable: according to the Apostle Paul, it is “hateful and hating one another.”
One of our neighbors has fallen! Therefore, if you are truly imbued with the spirit of Christ, allow me to describe the impression that this fall should make upon your soul.
a) He has fallen. But you who condemn him—have you never fallen yourselves? Would it please you if a hostile voice began to recount your blameworthy past? And did you not find comfort in the thought that oblivion had buried it forever?
“You will say that your life was free from serious offenses.” I agree. But are you responsible for this yourself? If you lacked opportunities to fall, did your heart not reach out toward them a thousand times, did it not desire and seek them?
Come, then, if you dare, show us the history of your inner life! Tell us of those secret thoughts of which no one ever suspected, of those shameful desires, hidden passions, unworthy longings, and triumphs of self-love which you cherished and carried out according to deliberate plans, to the detriment of humility and the sorrow of others... No human eye saw any of this. And while this abyss of sin was stirring in your mind and soul, your outward life was always orderly, approved by all, and respected. Now suppose that at one of those moments when passion set your heart aflame and seduced your conscience, a real and living temptation appeared, with all its attractions and enchantments. What would have become of you? Where then would have been your pride in an irreproachable life and an unstained past?
Suppose that this first fall had come under the gaze of someone who, through lack of forbearance, would have condemned and exposed you, just as you condemned your neighbor. What would have become of you? God spared you in His mercy. A thousand circumstances turned you away from your fall; but be assured that, left to your own instincts, you would have perished, and that the ultimate reason for your salvation lies not in yourselves.
b) Your neighbor has fallen! But do you know his history? Do you know what errors surrounded him, what deceptions overwhelmed him, what temptations obscured the light from him and blocked his path? Do you know that, at the fateful hour of his fall, he lacked a brotherly hand that could have supported and saved him, and that this hand could have been yours?
c) Your neighbor has fallen! But did he know what you know? Did he have a past filled with blessings and pure influences that could have protected him? From his cradle, did he experience, as you did, the prayers, tears, and warnings of a Christian mother? Was the gospel revealed to him from the beginning? Did he see on his path the Cross extending to him the hope of salvation? Did he hear the many warnings that you never needed? Therefore, in the eyes of God, who weighs everything on His scales, which of you is more guilty? To whom did He give more talents? From whom will He require more?
This, brethren, is the first impression that the fall of one of our neighbors should produce in us: it should lead to sorrowful self-examination and sincere humility before God.
B. The first impulse gives rise to another: genuine and profound compassion for the one who has suffered this misfortune.
a) As you read the beautiful chapters in which the Gospel tells us of the birth of the Savior, and especially of the wondrous hymn with which the angels filled the plains of Bethlehem, perhaps you have never reflected on how moving it is that the angels, that is, beings who remain pure, are the first to rejoice and bless God for the salvation of fallen humanity. Thus, the closer one is to God and the holier the love with which He is loved, the more capable one becomes of compassion and mercy. And why appeal to the angels, when He whom the angels themselves worship, whom Scripture calls holy and righteous, is presented to us everywhere as infinitely compassionate and merciful toward fallen beings!
b) Man needs another person in order to open his heart. “Confess your faults to one another,” says the Apostle James. What do we make of this commandment? We are told that it is enough to confess to God through the Mystery of Repentance. To be forgiven—yes, without a doubt. But beyond this, you will see that there is hidden within human nature a secret yet urgent need to stand openly before another person. The world sees only the outward and superficial side of our life, the side in which it appears in a favorable light. But there are moments when reality must be revealed, when the essence of this life must be made known, so that at least one person like ourselves may know all that need and temptation conceal within us.
This is urged upon us not by mere openness, but by the profound need to be understood, relieved, and comforted. And do we not know how much is beneficial and salvific in such confessions? Do we not know how certain temptations that surround us, vague and indistinct, lose their power and allure simply by being expressed in words? Do we not know how much strength and consolation can be given by a refined and understanding heart that listens to us? And if anyone needs compassion, it is the one who has fallen. Will he find it in you, brethren? Will he find mercy ready to listen to him so carefully that his confession will be kept in confidence? Will he find that serious attention which no one rejects, and which alone inspires trust? The first temptation often has decisive consequences. The humiliation that follows it can be transformed into correction, or it can degenerate into bitterness and then into rebellion. Perhaps this terrible choice depends upon us ourselves.
c) To open our heart to the fallen means much, but it is still not enough. Our calling, brethren, must be directed toward turning him back.
“If a man falls into sin, correct him,” says the Holy Apostle. What a beautiful and touching expression! It reminds us of Him of whom Scripture says that “He will not break a bruised reed”: the bruised reed is a wounded soul overcome by sin; it must be instructed with care until it is able once again to strive toward heaven.
This is a difficult and exalted work, because it is the work of God. Yes, but it is accomplished by human beings, because it has pleased Him to make us His instruments. If you ask me, “How should it be carried out?” What can I say? Everything depends here upon the character of each person, and each one must be examined and understood. I will say only this: carry out the work of Jesus Christ in the spirit of Jesus Christ; that is, love your neighbors with love without weakness and holiness without pride. Do not flatter, for Jesus Christ flattered no one; show the fallen the narrow and thorny path, speaking to them, if necessary, of the burden of the Cross and the self-denial required by God. All this is not that easy religion that will one day take possession of hearts, nor that base morality with which souls will be satisfied: only those who ask much and are willing to bear much in life will receive much.
Therefore, fallen souls must be turned back, but let us also not forget that they cannot be turned back without personal involvement permeated by Christian love, not by a monetary contribution that would spare us the personal effort and self-denial, the personal love that are required. We would search in vain for general measures of the Church, or for any organization capable of saving humanity all at once. In vain would you cast heaps of gold upon so-called Christian causes. None of this will accomplish anything if each person does not act upon those around him from the position in which Providence has placed him, and illumine each of them with the power of love, which nothing can replace. Labor within the humble sphere in which Providence has placed you; act upon the souls who entrust themselves to you. And if, through lack of faith, the thought of the insignificance of your efforts amid the multitude of humanity discourages you, look at Jesus Christ, who first saved John, then Simon, then Magdalene, Zacchaeus, and many others, that is, people unknown, about whom no one thought until He loved and turned them back, even as He suffered for the whole world and redeemed it from sin, the curse, and eternal death.
To turn a fallen soul back! Do you know what this means? Do not ask the world, which despises this, but listen to the angels in heaven rejoicing over a sinner. Jesus Christ astonishes and delights us in all the works of His ministry and life. Never did He touch the human soul more deeply than when He appeared as the Good Shepherd carrying His lost sheep, weary, exhausted, and unable to find rest until the wandering sheep had been returned to the flock (John 10).
Study His life, if you wish, and tell us, if you dare, that He was not sent by God. I trust my heart, and in this love that bends down toward fallen humanity, I recognize the presence and intervention of God. And where else should He be than here?
Therefore, to accomplish this good work, He calls you in turn. O brethren! Fallen souls are here beside you: they suffer, weep, groan, or, what is even more sorrowful, become hardened and blaspheme. Will you remain insensitive when by your love you can save some of them and bring them with you to the Father's house; when on earth you can share the joy of the angels, awaiting the time when you will enter the eternal dwellings surrounded by all those whom you have helped save! (See Sermons, Bersier.)
III. One more word. Brethren! Have you never asked yourselves with fear whether you have destroyed some soul? Do you know what the inevitable consequences of your former frivolity were? Do you know how many sinners you have pushed onto an evil path? What have you made of those whom God entrusted to your generosity and care? What did you make of them in the days of your unbelief, doubt, and other errors? Alas! What have you made of them since you have been called a Christian?
Do you know what were, on one of those unfortunate days, the consequences of a harsh and contemptuous word, a frivolous judgment, a lustful glance, an example of vanity? Do you know where the wind scattered these seeds of death, and through what fatal influence another soul became answerable for your own error? Do you know that among the multitude of those unfortunate ones whom God will reject on the last day from beholding His face, perhaps more than one may turn to you with the sorrowful cry: “You, you destroyed me!” I do not know this; perhaps you yourselves do not know it. God alone knows everything.
But if your conscience stirs and you hear dissatisfaction with yourselves, the cry coming from the inexorable past, take heed of yourselves: there is still time to act and save our wandering neighbors. The word of God says to you: “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”
(Compiled by Priest G. Dyachenko from the sources indicated.)
Source: A Complete Annual Cycle of Short Teachings, Composed for Each Day of the Year. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
